What are cigarette tubes?
A cigarette tube is pre-rolled cigarette paper formed into a hollow cylinder with a filter attached at one end, and nothing inside. It looks like a finished cigarette but has no tobacco or smoking material in it. You add your own legal loose tobacco. The U.S. Tobacco Taxation Bureau defines a tube as “cigarette paper made into a hollow cylinder for use in making cigarettes.” Empty tubes are exactly that, empty, which is why people sometimes call them empty cigarettes or shooting tubes.
Tubes are a roll-your-own (RYO) accessory. They are not a finished product and contain no tobacco when you buy them. You decide the blend, the strength, and how tightly each one is packed.
What are cigarette tubes made of?
Cigarette tubes are made of three things: thin cigarette paper rolled into a tube, a filter at one end (usually cellulose acetate, sometimes paper), and a small amount of non-toxic glue holding the seam and the filter in place. There is no tobacco inside. Paper quality matters. Lower-porosity paper allows less airflow for a slower, more even, cooler burn, while thicker paper makes a sturdier tube and thinner paper a more delicate one. The filter is wrapped in tipping paper, which is cork-colored (brown) on full-flavor tubes and white on many light versions.
Do cigarette tubes come with a filter, and what does the filter actually do?
Yes. Nearly every cigarette tube sold today comes with a filter already attached at one end, which is what makes them easy to fill and pleasant to draw. The filter is typically cellulose acetate. King Size tube filters usually run 15mm to 17mm, while 100mm tubes use proportionally longer filters. The filter cools the smoke slightly and catches some particulate. Full-flavor tubes use a standard acetate filter for maximum taste; light versions use ventilation (laser-perforated tipping) or charcoal to soften the draw. Some lines, like Zen menthol, put the menthol in the filter itself.
Extra-long filters exist too. A few brands offer roughly 25mm filters, which use less of the tube for tobacco, so a given amount of tobacco stretches across more cigarettes and the smoke runs cooler.
Are filtered or roll-your-own cigarettes ‘healthier’?
No. This is the honest answer guests deserve. Filters and roll-your-own tobacco are not a safer or healthier choice, and we make no health claims about any of these products. Lab tests show filters can lower measured tar and nicotine in smoke, but they do not remove low-molecular-weight gases like carbon monoxide, and major health bodies are clear that filtered cigarettes are not healthier. Roll-your-own tobacco is not more “natural” or “organic” either; it still contains addictive nicotine and additives. People choose RYO mainly for cost and taste control, not for health.
How do you fill a cigarette tube with an injector?
You fill a tube with a cigarette injector (also called a shooter or filling machine) in about five seconds per stick once you get the rhythm. The machine clamps the open end of the tube onto a metal nozzle and pushes a measured column of tobacco inside. Here is the step by step.
- Open the injector and load the chamber with loose tobacco, spreading it evenly along the full length of the trough.
- Close the lid so the chamber forms a firm, even rod of tobacco. Do not jam it down hard.
- Slide an empty tube fully onto the metal nozzle, filter end out, so the open paper end seats against the machine.
- Crank the lever or press the plunger in one smooth motion. The tobacco transfers into the tube.
- Release and slide the finished cigarette off the nozzle.
Electric injectors are even faster. Manual lever rollers take 30 to 60 seconds per stick, while electric injectors can do four to seven seconds each, which means under three minutes for a pack of twenty.
How do you fill cigarette tubes by hand without a machine?
You can fill tubes by hand, but it is slower and takes a light touch. Without a machine, pinch a small amount of tobacco, feed it gently into the open end of the tube, and use a thin packing stick, straw, or the back of a long match to push it down in small layers. Add tobacco a little at a time and tamp lightly between each addition so the rod stays even and does not bunch up. Stop short of the filter so the last layer does not blow out. This works, but for any real volume an inexpensive injector pays for itself fast in time saved.
How do I stop the tube ending up loose or empty near the filter?
A loose or empty gap right behind the filter almost always means the rod was packed too tightly in the chamber, so the machine could not push the tobacco all the way in. The fix is simple: remove a little tobacco at a time and redistribute it evenly until the density is right. If instead you find a gap because there was not enough tobacco, add a small pinch and re-run it. Even distribution is the whole game. Spread the tobacco along the entire chamber rather than piling it in the middle.
Why does my tube keep slipping off the injector nozzle?
Your tube slips off because tobacco crumbs are sitting on or around the nozzle, so the machine cannot grip the tube end cleanly. The injector clamps the paper onto the metal tip, and any debris breaks that grip and pushes the tube off mid-stroke. Keep the nozzle and tip area wiped clear of loose shreds, seat the tube all the way on before you crank, and brush out the chamber every so often. A clean nozzle holds the tube firmly through the full push.
What tobacco moisture level works best in an injector?
The sweet spot for injector machines is roughly 12 to 14 percent relative humidity in the tobacco. Too wet and the tobacco clumps, jams the chamber, and produces a soggy stick. Too dry and the cigarette burns too fast and tastes harsh. If your tobacco feels powdery, rest a small humidity pack or a damp (not wet) cotton ball in the sealed container for a few hours. If it feels damp and sticky, spread it out briefly to let it breathe before filling.
What’s the best tobacco for filling cigarette tubes?
The best tobacco for tubes is a finely cut roll-your-own blend at the right moisture, matched to the strength you want. Finely cut RYO feeds cleanly through injectors and burns at a cigarette pace. Volume or “expanded” tubing tobaccos are processed to take up more space, so you get more sticks from the same weight. Forum-favorite RYO blends include Peter Stokkebye varieties and Smoker’s Pride mellow blends. The right choice is personal, so many guests buy a smaller bag first and dial in their moisture before committing to a pound. Our Hosts can point you to what pairs well with a given tube.
Can I use pipe tobacco in cigarette tubes, and is it legal?
For personal use, yes, it is legal to fill cigarette tubes with pipe tobacco. Pipe tobacco is coarser, moister, and higher in natural sugars than RYO, so many people use it. A 2009 federal tax change created a price gap of around $22 a pound between “pipe” and “roll-your-own” tobacco, which is why pipe tobacco is often cheaper. The tax rules target manufacturers and retailers who market pipe tobacco for cigarette use, not individual guests filling their own tubes at home. If you go this route, expect a slightly moister blend that may need a touch of drying time to hit the 12 to 14 percent window.
How many tubes come in a box, and how much do they cost?
Most cigarette tubes ship 200 or 250 to a box, and a 200-count box typically runs about $3 to $5. Each tube becomes exactly one cigarette, with no waste from rolling skill. Counts vary by brand and style, so here is how the lines we carry break down.
| Tube | Size | Filter | Count / box | Styles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Tubes | King Size 84mm and 100mm | 15mm brown | 250 | Regular, Gold, Menthol |
| Gambler Tubes | King Size 84mm and 100mm | 15mm (17mm Tube Cut) | 200 | Regular, Gold, Silver, Menthol |
| Zen Tubes | King Size 84mm and 100mm | 17mm | 250 (Menthol 200) | Full Flavor, Light, Menthol, White |
| Premier Tubes | King Size 84mm and 100mm | 17mm brown | 200 | Full Flavor, Light, Menthol |
| Tube Cut Tubes | King Size 84mm and 100mm | 17mm brown | 200 | Regular, Gold, Silver, Menthol |
| Classic Tubes | King Size 84mm | Pre-attached tip | 200 | King Size |
King Size tubes are 84mm, the same length as a standard cigarette. 100mm tubes are about 15 to 16mm longer for a longer, slightly cooler smoke, and they need roughly 15 to 20 percent more tobacco per stick. Both share the same diameter near 8mm, so they are interchangeable in most injectors.
Top TubesCigarette Tubes · El PasoView in El Paso
Premier TubesCigarette Tubes · El PasoView in El Paso
Gambler TubesCigarette Tubes · El PasoView in El Paso
Classic TubesCigarette Tubes · El PasoView in El Paso
How many cigarettes will a bag of tobacco make?
A 6 ounce bag of tobacco makes roughly 200 cigarettes, which is about one carton’s worth, and a 1 pound (16 ounce) bag yields somewhere around 400 to 600 cigarettes, or two to three cartons, depending on how tightly you pack each stick. Volume or expanded tubing tobaccos stretch those numbers further. To match the math, pair a 6 ounce bag with one 200-count box of tubes, or a pound with two to three boxes so you never run short of tubes mid-batch.
How much do you actually save rolling your own vs buying packs?
Rolling your own is dramatically cheaper than buying packs. A roll-your-own “carton” of about 16 ounces of tobacco plus 200 tubes can land near $15, which works out to roughly $1.50 per pack of twenty, compared to store-bought packs that can run $8 to $18 each. Guests who switch commonly report saving in the neighborhood of $200 a month, or $2,000 and up across a year. The exact number depends on your tobacco choice and local prices, but the gap is large and consistent. Buying tobacco in bulk widens it further.
Do cigarette tubes go stale, and how should I store tubes and tobacco?
Empty tubes themselves are stable, but they pick up humidity and odors over time, so keep them in a cool, dry place in their box. The bigger storage job is the tobacco, which dries out when exposed to air and then burns fast and tastes harsh. To keep loose tobacco fresh, use a humidity pack, a soaked terracotta hydro-stone, or a tightly sealed mason jar, and refrigerate or freeze for long-term storage. A few habits that help:
- Reseal tobacco immediately after filling a batch; air is the enemy.
- Store filled cigarettes airtight too; even finished sticks dry out within months.
- Avoid overpacking tubes, which causes a tight draw and uneven burn.
- Keep tubes away from direct heat and sunlight to protect the paper and filter.
What’s the best beginner roll-your-own setup?
The best beginner setup is one box of tubes, a finely cut RYO tobacco, and a single tabletop lever injector, which gives the best all-around balance of quality, speed, control, and durability for new users. Manual rollers cost only a few dollars and are great for occasional, portable use, while electric injectors run roughly $85 to $300 and earn their keep for high-volume daily rollers. A heavy-duty manual lever machine is the workhorse most guests start with. For tubes, a dependable full-flavor King Size like Gambler Tubes is forgiving in manual injectors, and Zen Tubes are a popular filtered pick with a menthol option, so either makes a solid first box.
Where to buy cigarette tubes near you in El Paso (and online)
You can buy cigarette tubes near you at El Paso Smoke Shops, with in-store pickup at our El Paso locations. We keep the proven brands on the shelf so you can match a tube to your injector and your taste: Top Tubes, Gambler Tubes, Zen Tubes, Premier Tubes, Tube Cut Tubes, and Classic Tubes, in King Size and 100mm where available. Browse the full Cigarette Tubes selection, then pick up in store. Bring a valid photo ID; tubes are sold to guests 21 and older (18+ with valid military ID). Our Hosts can help you pair tubes, tobacco, and an injector so your first batch fills clean.
